Police: Feces, urine seen in home where man's body found

MONTICELLO, Ill. (WAND) - Rotting food, feces and urine could be seen in a home where police say they found a man dead.

Police called conditions "deplorable" when they went to a house in the 300 block of Monticello's West Monroe Street on Thursday evening. Monticello Police, the Piatt County Sheriff's Department, Task Force 6, and Illinois State Police were involved in executing a search warrant.

Chief John Carter said the smell was "one of the worst smells I had ever smelled".

Carter says y discovered 64-year-old Ronald Blankenship with puppy pads under him on a bed. He added that the bed had mice feces on it and used adult diapers were stored in bags around him. Police say springs were sticking out of the mattress.

Officers say a stoma in Blankenship's neck was previously connected to a dehumidifier to keep it moist, but had dried up. It had filled up with mucus and sputum. A preliminary autopsy showed Blankenship had severe bilateral bronchopneumonia of the lungs and a closed off larynx. Investigators also discovered he had high blood sugar and an enlarged heart.

They say was not wearing clothing when they found him and did not look like he was well-cared for. Blankenship's death was reported on Monday evening.

A soft lockdown of nearby Monticello High School and Washington Elementary was issued due to the close proximity to the home during the search.

Four dogs and three cats were also removed from the home. All of the dogs had medical issues that required attention. One of the dogs had to be euthanized due to its poor health, and Carter told WAND-TV a second dog may have to be as well. The living animals are currently at the Animal Hospital of Monticello.

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